“She’s…we’re not going out.” Dawson ducked his head and reached up to remove his cowboy hat. He turned to the pegs along the wall beside the back door, and Finn met Link’s eyes while their friend’s back was turned.
“I asked outright,” Link muttered. “Someone pick up the ball.”
Dawson faced them again, and Alex asked, “Why aren’t you goin’ out with her? She cancel on you?” He’d never shied away from hard things, that was for sure.
“You said she seemed excited.”
Dawson nodded, more of his grumpy exterior melting away. Finn’s heart hurt for Dawson, because he recognized his own yearning and unrealized dreams in his friend’s eyes. Finn had everything he could possibly want right now, but that hadn’t always been the case. He’d spent nights alone, wondering what he’d done wrong.
He’d been stood up before, several times in foreign countries. He took the bag of potato chips as it got passed to him, and he wasn’t going to leave those behind. Nicki had a green thumb and some skills in the kitchen,and Finn loved going to his brother- and sister-in-law’s farmhouse for dinner any time they invited him and Edith.
“Not exactly,” Dawson finally said. “Duke and I had some business last night, so I actually canceled on her.”
“Oh, well, that’s easy, then,” Link said. “You just ask her out again.”
Dawson gave him a dark look and took a couple of steps over to the counter to help his brother slice tomatoes. “I went down to get groceries for my mama, and I stopped by her place.”
“Good move,” Finn said. “And?”
“She….” Dawson focused all of his attention on his culinary tasks, which wasn’t a good sign. Finn caught Alex’s eye, and they had a quick conversation. “Her sister just moved in with her,” Dawson said. “And she’s only a few weeks into a divorce, so Caroline is a little worried about how she’ll take her dating.”
“How her sister will feel?” Link asked.
“Yeah.” Dawson nodded. “Yep. That’s right. So, I didn’t ask her out again. We don’t have a date set up.”
“She was going to bring lunch today,” Brandon said, and all eyes flew to him.
“Brandon,” Dawson growled.
“What? She was.” He stepped back from the counter and surveyed it. A smile came to his face. “But I guess she decided not to.” He looked over to Dawson. “Why’d you say?”
Dawson’s jaw jumped, and he turned with the serrated knife to put it in the sink. With his back turned, he said, “She didn’t want to lie to her sister. Not even a little one.” He faced the group, his face cleared of frowns and concern. “Can we not talk this to death? I swear, y’all are worse than my mama.”
He cracked a grin, and Brandon chuckled, which further splintered the ice. Finn smiled, and Link did too.
“God’s told me to be patient,” Dawson said. “So I’m gonna do that.”
“Good plan, brother,” Finn said, holding out his fist for Dawson to bump.
He did, and then he looked at the food. “So, we forgot y’all were comin’, but we’ve got sandwiches, potato salad, homemade potato chips, and chocolate chip cookies.”
“It’s a feast!” Finn called, and the other cowboys—and Libby—nodded.
“Henry’s good with women,” Paul said. “He might have some advice.”
Dawson nodded and said, “I’ll listen to whatever.”
“I have an idea,” Libby said. “We can talk about it while we eat.”
“I’ve got a thought too,” Smiles said, and that again brought all the eyes to a single person. Smiles was probably a decade younger than anyone there. “I mean, I’m young, but I go out with a lot of girls.”
Link grinned at his younger brother and slung hisarm around him. “He sure does. Real humble about it too.”
Smiles just grinned and grinned. “It’s just an idea.”
“Let’s eat,” Dawson said. “And then we can keep talking about maybe some un-intrusive ways for me to keep in touch with her.”
Henry moved to his side, and said, “You don’t want to keep in touch with her, brother. She’s not your elderly aunt.” He grinned at Dawson. “We’ll find a way that she can’twaitto see you again, can’twaitto come up here and check on those blasted burrowing owls.” He picked up a paper plate and added, “I’ll pray, yeah? And we’ll eat.”
